1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for detecting thermal interface material (‘TIM’) between a heat sink and an integrated circuit
2. Description of Related Art
As the number of devices on a server or other computer requiring heat sinks increases, determining that each heat sink has sufficient thermal interface material (TIM) becomes more important. Current techniques require the user or manufacturer to tighten the heat sink down and then remove the heat sink to ensure the thermal paste is uniform. Alternatively, an assumption is made that the TIM is sufficient without removal of the heat sink or any further check. The current techniques are manual, time consuming, and an often provide an inaccurate indication of the sufficiency of the TIM. A system that is powered on with insufficient TIM can result in permanent damage to its circuitry.